The Classical Period, chiefly represented by the Viennese masters, Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven, refers to the music of the late 18th and early 19th centuries (approximately 1750 – 1820). During this period, the harpsichord gave way to the piano which evolved rapidly from its early beginnings.
When we approach the performance of music from this period, there are certain stylistic traditions we need to be aware of to play confidently and convincingly. In this two-part blog series, I will explore some of the key features of Classical style, with a special focus on touch and articulation, dynamics, ornamentation and pedalling.
The Instrument
Before delving into aspects of style, it’s important that we have some background as to the significant developments in keyboard instruments during this period and their impact. By the 1770s, the piano had firmly established itself as a prominent musical instrument, with two distinct types emerging: the Viennese, exemplified by the Stein pianos, and the English, represented by the Broadwood pianos.
Viennese pianos were characterised by their effective damping mechanisms, initially operated by knee levers, which facilitated precise control over the instrument’s sound. Their action was light and responsive to touch, producing a clear, clean and somewhat thin tone.
In contrast, English pianos featured less precise damping, employing foot pedals right from the outset. Their action tended to be heavier, resulting in a more powerful and robust touch. This translated into a fuller, louder tone compared to their Viennese counterparts.
Initially spanning five octaves until 1803, the piano’s range expanded to six octaves. This innovation was notably embraced by Beethoven, who received a six-octave Broadwood piano in 1818.
During the period from 1810 to 1830, Viennese pianos underwent further refinement, incorporating four pedals: the shift pedal (allowing for full or partial keyboard displacement), the damper pedal (to control sustain), the bassoon pedal (which applied a layer of parchment onto the tenor strings for a unique timbre), and the “Turkish” pedal (producing effects such as striking a small bell or mallet on the soundboard).
Simultaneously, advancements in stringed instruments and bow technology occurred, enhancing their volume, focus, and brilliance. These innovations contributed to the evolving soundscape of classical music during the period.
Touch and Articulation
In the second half of the 18th century, two treatises were considered the main authoritaties for guidance in the performance practices of keyboard music: firstly, C.P.E. Bach’s Essay on the True Art of playing Keyboard Instruments (1753), and then Daniel Gottlob Türk’s Klavierschule (1789).
Legato, non-legato or staccato?
CPE Bach describes the basic touch (notes with neither slurs nor staccatos) as non-legato, the notes to receive half their value. Türk later criticised this and the new rule was that unarticulated notes should receive three quarters of their value. At the end of the century, Clementi speaks of the higher beauties of the legato and the need for legato as the basic touch unless otherwise indicated. In English lineage music (The London Pianoforte School: Field, Dussek, Cramer, and Clementi), legato was described as default.
Confusing, isn’t it? None of these authorities were writing about the instrument we know and love today, characterised by its full sonorities, huge dynamic range and long sustaining power. As Malcolm Bilson points out in his thought-provoking video, Knowing the Score, it is one thing to apply such rules on instruments the Classical composers would have known, quite another to transplant them to the modern instrument. To cut a note off before the tone has had the chance to bloom on a Steinway is problematic, so we need to temper such instructions with some common sense or our playing risks sounding choppy and unmusical.
Articulation markings
In the early Classical period, slurs are the most important articulation marks. Later in the period, we find more staccato dots and strokes. In music from the Viennese lineage (Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven), the plethora of small articulation marks may be thought of as articulation as in speech. Clarity and inflection of the slurs, staccato and sf markings are possible because of the effective damping, sensitivity of touch and the quick attack and fast decay in the sound of the pianos.
To develop a subtle articulation for music from this (and earlier) periods, it is important to understand the concept of degrees of separation. On one end of the spectrum notes may be overlapped (finger pedalling, or legatissimo). Next, we use a plain legato (the 2nd finger comes up as the 3rd finger goes down, etc.), then a long non-legato (the 2nd finger comes up just before the third finger goes down), progressing to half sound-half silence, or a regular staccato.
Examples from Mozart
Very short staccatos often don’t sound good, but there may be the occasional place for that touch. When we play, we mix up these various touches from one note to the next, as appropriate. The skillful pianist achieves all of this with minimal movement, articulation happening close to the keys.
The articulation is obvious in the opening of Variation 6 from Mozart’s A major Sonata, K.331. In fast music such as this, we release the last note of each short slur, play the staccatos crisply, but give full length to the quavers (8th notes) in bar 3. The slurs in the LH probably indicate a prevailing legato (rather than a gap at the end of each bar). Indeed, we would certainly want to point the bass line (on the main beats) by holding onto these notes longer than their value, or perhaps by adding a subtle tenuto:
How do we handle Mozart’s slur markings at the beginning of the B-flat Sonata, K. 570?
We probably wouldn’t want to play a generic long-short, down-up slur, yet we need to respond to the slurs somehow. On the modern piano, we have two alternatives:
- Use a prevailing legato and play the crotchets (quarter notes) lighter than the minims (half notes) – TAA-ya-TAA-ya, etc.
- Staying very close to the keys, make a microscopic break after the crotchets (they will be separated from the minims by a semiquaver or possibly a demisemiquaver rest)
String markings showed up in piano music before any other sort of markings. How would a violinist play this phrase? Surely a new bow for each bar. Remember, a change of bow doesn’t necessarily mean a break in sound.
“But when, as in many a composition, nothing at all is indicated, the player must himself know how to apply the slurring and detaching tastefully and in the right place.”
Leopold Mozart
Fast non-legato
In fast running passages not marked by slurs, an articulated finger touch (active fingertips) is often called for. It won’t be legato as such, but neither will it feel especially staccato in that there won’t be discernible gaps between each note. The best way to experience this is to play the passages on the fallboard of the piano or on a tabletop. If you are doing it correctly, every finger strike will create a percussive tap (as though enunciating an explosive “t” consonant). It is important to add nuances to the notes, tiny hairpin < and > to shape and inflect the line as a singer or violinist might.
In the next article, I look at dynamics, pedalling, ornamentation and embellishment in more detail. If you’d like a more hands on demonstration on how to approach these aspects when playing music from the Classical Period, then please do join me on Saturday 2nd March for a set of online workshops dedicated to music from this period. Click here to find out more and to book your place!
Further Resources
Our repertoire library contains resources to help you learn a wide range of works from this period, including annotated study editions and video lessons. The ABRSM syllabus features many pieces from this period and can be a useful guide for finding pieces at the right level!